A Method for Evaluating the Observation Effectiveness of Microwave Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation

Satellites tend to form a constellation for better performance over a region of thousands of kilometers. However, how to set up the configuration of the constellation is still a challenge for an engineer. This article proposes several statistical-based metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of constellations from the perspective of observation applications. Then, this article proposes a software tool to analyze the metrics of constellations over a target area. Furthermore, this article illustrates the proposed method with the help of a 40-satellite case study. Finally, this article concludes the proposed method and discusses future work. This method of evaluation for remote sensing constellations would help the engineer determine the design parameters of the large constellation.